All month the 2SLGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG) will be putting out Communiqué posts with reminders, information, and history relevant to Pride.
Pride month is an exciting time for 2SLGBTQ+ identified folks and their allies. But what does allyship mean, who gets to call themselves one, and how can you lean into allyship in service of contributing to a braver, more equitable world? Read on!
"Allyship is standing beside us when we need support, standing behind us when we need back up, and stepping in front of us when we need protection."
- Emma Cusdin, Director at Global Butterflies
"The most important thing to remember is that allyship is a verb, not a noun. You can't simply 'be' an ally. You need to practice it. You need to use your identity and privilege to make change happen."
- Dr. Evelyn Carter
Here are our top three tips on how to practice meaningful allyship:
1. Educate yourself
- Learn about 2SLBGTQ+ history and the origins of Pride. Start by reading our recent Communiqué post: A Brief History of Pride.
- Review the Humber College Inclusive Language Guide, which provides a high-level overview of inclusive language and highlights.
2. Learn from, listen to, and take the leadership of 2SLGBTQ+ community members most marginalized by systems of power
- Like all people, people in the 2SLGBTQ+ community have a wide diversity of intersecting identities: many of us are simultaneously impacted by multiple systems of oppression, including racism, classism, and ableism.
- Queer liberation involves the liberation of all 2SLGBTQ+ people! That includes those of us who are racialized, poor, disabled, neurodivergent, living with mental illness, and/or otherwise marginalized by systems of oppression. In that way, social justice movements are interconnected, and the liberation of one group must not come at the expense of another.
- Commit to building and deepening your understanding of privilege and systems of power. We recommend the following resources:
- White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
- The Urgency of Intersectionality by Kimberle Crenshaw
3. Offer support
- Support LGBTQ+ businesses and charities:
- The 519 is a long-standing Toronto-based charity that supports 2SLGBTQ+ communities by providing counselling services and queer parenting resources to coming out groups, trans programming, and senior's support.
- Egale seeks to improve the lives of 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada through research, education, awareness and legal advocacy.
- Pflag is a national organization that offers peer-to-peer support to help all Canadians with issues of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
- The Trans Lifeline is a non-profit organization offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis.
- Show up for and support Pride events and 2SLGBTQ+ events all year long
Stay tuned for more Pride Humber Communiqué posts throughout June.